Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Author(s): W. E. S. Turner
Source: Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, Vol. 91, No. 4636 (APRIL 2nd, 1943), pp. 224-235
Published by: Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41362798 .
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224
April2, 1943
OF THE SOCIETY
April2, 1943
NEWUSESFOR GLASS
225
a good chemically-resistant
purposes
glass was pre- optical,chemicaland heatresisting
as the resultof the laboursof Abb and
pared.
The erectionof the CrystalPalace forthe Schottat Jenain Germany.
a striking
in 1851furnished
GreatExhibition
Scientific Research : A Great Diversity
exampleof thevalue of glassas a construcof Glasses
whichits use
tionalmaterialand thebenefit
The twentieth
centuryhas seen a great
broughtin floodinga buildingwith light.
of
the
acceleration
pace at which glass is
ofsheetglasseventhen,and,
The production
fora wide
into
brought
employment
being
of
the
twentieth
until
the
indeed,
beginning
has seen
no
and
of
period
was stilldependenton one of two variety purposes,
century,
fifteen
than
the
advances
fruitful
more
past
known
the
twelfth
by
processes already
century.In the MiddleAges the smallness years. The greatprogressin more recent
of the pieces available necessitatedtheir timeshasbeen due to the thoroughestabbeing set in leaden framesto produce a lishmentof thenew appliedscienceof glass
directedin partto a systematic
window; gjidup to theendofthenineteenth technology,
betweenthechemicalcomposition
size of sheetwas that correlation
themaximum
century
of glasses,thestudy
a cylinder and physicalproperties
and flattening
derivedby splitting
of high
and the development
about6 feetlonganda footindiameter.The of refractories
to
the
invenin
;
part
processes
temperature
of
had
sheets
of
glass
production verylarge
to wait until 1903 when the commercial tion of new machineryand processesfor
success of the Lubbers cylinderdrawing convertingglass into a vast number of
shapesand sizes; in part
machine,inventedin Americain 1895,was articlesofdifferent
of treatingglass
of
methods
to
a
study
automatic
achieved; andthiswasfollowed
by
glasswith
machines,one inventedand developedin surfaces; and partlyto combining
materials
ceramic
like
materials
other
metals,
both
between
in
the
other
Belgium,
America,
1903 gnd 1918, by which sheet glass was and plastics.
has proscientific
withoutthe
investigation
drawndirectand continuously
Systematic
videdus witha greatrangeofglassesavailable
need forflattening.
in i:he formanydifferent
Of otherinteresting
purposes. Their widely
developments
areexemplichemical
first
that
the
recall
I
nineteenth
compositions
divergent
may
century,
glasselectriclightbulbwas madeforEdison fiedbythemodernglassesquotedin Table I,
advances whilstthe verygreatrangeof physicalproin 1879; and thatveryimportant
thecomposition
were made between1880 and 1893 in the pertiesobtainable
byvarying
II.
in
Table
illustrated
is
for
of
use
extended
and
glass
improvement
Table I.
Chemical
ofsomeModernGlassesforSpecialPurposes.
Compositions*
!
Linde'ltr
>|
manny R
I brex
High
A . Glass
Glass
Densest
Pulir
Sodium
Modern'
p'rotModern
, ,
Mercury
J??
VapourQh
"Vycor"
Pyrex
tive Sheet Plate sealing
J".' Gas
OpUealX-Ray
VapourLamp
Glass Glass to^
l'amP
misston
mission
j
28-0
20-0
45
2*i2
72-93
72*29
SiO.
j 82-1 58*7 2i*5
96-3 80-07
4-63 -2-9 12*0 3-0 400
B203
'4
0-05 004 22-o
Ti02
'94 ~~
0-37 -3* 22-4
' 0 '8
AI2O3
'i-66/
- J
'12 *9
V
'3
i
_
/
'
Fe2Oo
8*77 12*92 CaO ... ... ... -5-9 io-o
- . 25*10
-0-20 84
2*99
MgO
-0*09
- o*6o
100
BaO
*
- j 2-
_
_30
PbO
79'9 12-96'I2.S4 J 6
0-02 3-9 i*i
NaO
6*5 ! -'5 -"87
0*2
'
f
0-02
K.O
0*32 - ! o-oi 14
o*i
AsOc
j -0*005
0*30
5
~
- Ii 66*45
LjjO
- ! I51
2*6 BeO
!
CaF2
'23 : *tv27
SO32
!
= 100%
Silica
Fused
Si02
|
chemical
ofcommercial
* Those
arefrom
andtraces
ofimpurities
analysis
indetail,
minor
constituents
precise
including
quoted
noaccount
ofimpurities.
materials
mixture
ofraw
taking
theglass-making
Theothers
arecalculated
from
employed,
samples.
22
April.2, 1943
Dispersionnc
0*00678
0-03142
,,
25- 70-3
in high altitudeflying,or
Constant...
Dispersion
,,
through
passed
Electrical Resistance
in thetropics. Glassescan
intenseinfra-red
(Volume Resistivity
...
c.c.inVacuo)
20o 2-9Xio7- 5x io*8 be so colouredas to blackoutall visiblelight
Ohms/
Dielectric
Constant...
,,
-3-7-16
Tensile
ultra-violet
Strength
,,
3*53
kg.mm2 and yettransmit
lighton theone
- 8-51
Modulus
ofElasticity
(E)
,,
4090
9157
kg/mm2
ontheotherandbe suitable,
hand,orinfra-red
Modulus
of Rupture
("
Plate
April2, 1943
NEWUSESFORGLASS
227
measure
witha substantial
is nowcarried structure
translucent
combined
product,Vitreosil,
out on sucha scale thatit has beenused for ofheatand soundinsulation.
a long time in large installationsin the
Glass is beingpreparedin blocksin the
and spongyor cellularcondition.It is verylight
chemicalindustries.The manufacture
with
use of the perfectly
varietyis in weightand it is beingexperimented
transparent
It is likelyto
in refrigerators.
rapidlyexpandingin the fieldof electrical forinsulation
afterthe
transmission.Other undergoconsiderabledevelopment
illumination
and radioglassesvyingwithfusedsilica in respectof war.
low thermalexpansionand high electrical Glass can be convertedinto beads of
resistanceare now being made in special minutesize and into flakes; and it can
gas-firedfurnacesoperatingat very high be drawn into threadsas fine as silk at
in one case, namely,the the speed of 6,000 feetper minuteand of
; or,
temperatures
"
"
mm.
glass knownas Vycor (Table I), by an diametersof the orderof 0*005-0*007
disscientific
newprocessonlymoderate One of the most interesting
requiring
entirely
increase
the
is
of
recent
coveries
great
years
temperatures.
of glass fibresas the
The influenceof the engineeris seen in in the tensilestrength
reduced(Table III).
Sheet
achievements.
is
diameter
glass
manyoutstanding
progressively
in the flatstate In consequence,thesethreadsare not only
is now drawncontinuously
by the Fourcult,the Pittsburghand the findingever increasinguses in mass for
morethana hundred heat and sound insulationand forfiltering
Libbey-Owens
processes
incheswide,and piecescan be cutto lengths purposes,but also forthewindingof copper
andfortheproduction
tohandleandsupport wireusedinarmatures,
onlylimitedbycapacity
them. Plate glass is, by the latestBritish of yarnand woventextiles.
some
process,not onlyrolledcontinuously,
Table III.
8 or 9 feet wide, but is simultaneously
groundand polishedon both sides to give
withDiameter
Variation
oftheTensile
plates of lengthagain limitedonly by the
.
GlassFibres
of
Strength
-to handle them. This so-called
capacity
" is of a
" twin
Radius Tensile
Strength
Radius Tensile
higherdegree
Strength
polishedplate
/mm.2) (mm.) (kg./mm.2)
(mm.) (kg.
of flatness
thananypreviously
made,and is
on the
a triumphof precisionengineering
x9t
0*002
o*i75
377*
largescale. ,
l6t
*34
178*
0-005
iof
126*
0-4
0*009
The successwithwhichthe operationsof
ft
0-5
o-oi8
65*
*61
39*
castingand annealinggreatmassesof glass
0-0355
22t
0-0*85
can now be carriedout is exemplified
by
in 1934of thetwo
thesuccessful
Griffiths.
production
t Gooding.
hundredinch disc, with its special ribbed
with
Combined
plastics,glass fibrehas
structure,and of weight twenty tons.
structural
into
converted
been
fire-proof
ten
The annealingof this disc occupied
withwideapplications.The material
material
months.
type.
thou- Luxoidis oneexampleofthetranslucent
By meansof automaticmachinery,
or sandwich
suchas bottlesand Fibre is used as an interlayer
sandsofdifferent
articles,
to
jars, tumblersand drinkingglasses of all betweenglass sheetsin a mannersimilar
to
laminated
obscuring
glass
give
glass
like
articles
even
plastic
jugs
kinds,
complicated
"
withhandlesand wine glasseswithfeet,are knownby its patentnameof Thermolux,"
and diffusive
machin- which has high transmission
automatic
nowproducedby entirely
turned
properties.
ery; whilstelectriclightbulbs are
modernstudyoftheoldproblem
Prolonged
onetypeofwhich
outbyautomatic
machines,
of glasshas resultedin
treatment
heat
the
of
canproducemorethanhalfa millionperday.
proGlass tubingof variouskindsand diameters the successfulapplicationof tempering
is likewiseproducedmile aftermile with cesses wherebyhigh compressionstresses
distributedin the outer layers
uniformly
uniform
dimensions.
a greatlyincreasedsafetyfactor
about
or
fluted
with
bring
Hollowglassblocks
ribbed,
haveprovidedan outstand- againstbreakage(see Table IV) and make
surfaces
prismatic
formodern its use possibleundersevereconditionsof
ingadditionto materialresources
of temvariations
and are enablingthe load and againstextreme
buildingconstruction
increased
its
of
Because
greatly
lines
new
on
architectto designbuildings
perature.
to shock
capacityand resistance
whichprovidea flood of lightwithinthe load-bearing
228
April2, 1943
April2, 1943
NEWUSESFORGLASS
to devotean everincreasing
areaofbuildings
to thetransmission
oflight. Quitea number
of greatmodernbuildingsnow exist with
of glass; in somecases of
frontages
entirely
clearglass plate; in some clear plate with
bands of opal or othercolouredplate; in
22$
of
stillothersglass blocks,or combinations
etc. The
blockswithsheet,plate,Vitrolite,
undue fearof glass as a brittlesubstanceis
slowly passing away. These huge glass
of
extremes
buildingshavealreadywithstood
weatherformanyyearsand the largeglass
1.
oros.,
oycourtesy
ojnwingion
Keproaucea
andblackVitrolite
withfrontage
Newoffice
ofplateglass, glassblocks
buildings
caie
: siewari
Photograph
blocks
at
a
new
Interior
glass
incorporating
Blackpool
cafe
of
230
April2, 1943
ofstaircases
andtheglass setin concreteforroofsand floors,and glass
panelledbalustrades
as embodied,forexample,in the blocks have shown themselvesstrikingly
partitions
of British resistantto fireand blast duringair raids.
buildingsof the RoyalInstitution
serveto giveproofofpermanence Wired glasshas, in a numberof examples,
Architects,
and durability. Constructionalglass in remainedin distortedframesin bombed
severalforms,
wiredglass,heattreatedlenses buildingswhenso muchelse was shattered
Ltd.
Bros.,
bycourtesy
ofMessrs.
Puktngion
Reproduced
and
blast
to
raid
air
-inch
wired
Resistance
plate
fire
ofquarter
1.
vy
ujmessrs.
jrwrnngivn
DTU.,
in
a
hotel
concrete
in
set
direct
lenses
Blastresistant
heat-treated
Nottingham
roof
April2, 1943
NEWUSJ2S
FORGLASS
231
nuHjgruyn
. ,.
with
Heat andsoundinsulation
glass
of
building
quilts
fibre
of
232
April2, 1943
: Brains,
Photograph
Liverpool
Table30feetby5 feet10 inches
inchplatesupported
on
ofheat-treated
three-quarter
roughcastglasslegs
April2, 1943
NEWUSESFORGLASS
233
inTable I. In
modernmethodsare thosebased on metallic ofsucha glassis alsorecorded
a demandhas
lighting,
vapourlamps,such as sodiumvapourand thecaseoffluorescent
forimlighting. beenmadeon theglassmanufacturer
mercuryvapour, and fluorescent
oftubingofmoderately
wide
In orderto makethevapourlampspossible, mensequantities
it was essentialto devisenew typesof glass
to meet extremeConditionsof chemical
corrosionor high temperature.Sodium
vapourattacksglassesof the more normal
type, containing fairly high percentages
ofsilica; butglassescontaining
comparatively
lowsilicaand highboricoxidewerefoundto
resist successfullythe action of sodium
vapour. The compositionof one such
successful
glassis quotedinTable I. Sodium
been convapour lamps have, therefore,
structed
eitherwithan innerenvelopeofthis
new glass and an outerenvelopeto protect
it againsttheactionofatmospheric
moisture,
or, as in morerecentproducts,by fusinga
thinlayerof the specialglass on the inner
surfaceof a singleglassenvelope. Mercury
vapourlamps have long been knownwith
butinorderbothtoget
fusedsilicaenvelopes,
andtoimprove
a cheapercontaining
material,
still furtherthe electricalresistance,new
with.
typesofglasseshavebeenexperimented
They must,in additionto possessinghigh
standard
also
at hightemperature,
resistance
electrical
Largeglassstillincorporating
havehighsoftening
interchangeable
ground
glassjoints
point. The composition
mearte
uo.,.
oycourtesy
oj1netiemme
in operation
Glassmercury
arcrectifiers
234
April2, I943
April2, 1943
AREAAFTERTHE WAR
MAINTAINING
THE PLOUGHED-UP
235
orLoad-Resisting
G. Mechanical
Shock
Purposes
anythingregardingthe use of glass for
AHeat-Treated
Glass
Door
with
Metal
Fittings.
fromthepointofviewofthedifficulty
textiles
Tank
Bullet-Proof
Window.
Multiply
Bomb-Aimer's
Bullet-Proof
Windows.
ofsplintered
fibres.
Glass
for
Heat-Treated
Vehicles.
Transport
H. Precision
Shaping
ProfessorTurner, in teply,said : Five
ofGlass
Glass
Gauges.
yearsor so ago mostof thewomenworking
inGlass.
Screw
Threads
Twin
Ground
Plate.
in
for
glass wool factorieswore protection
Glass
Turned
intheLathe.
ofBallotini
Beads
ofBlood their faces and limbs. Nowadays,one
nowusedinstorage
Samples
for
Transfusions.
rarelysees such protectionused. The
modern glass wool is of much finer
DISCUSSION
diameterthan that of a decade ago. In
Mr. JamesHogan (Master of Faculty, consequence,it is softto the touch,can be
R.D.I.)said : I shouldlike,on behalfof the benton itselfor tied intoloops and woven
Society and by reason of the manyyears into clothwithoutsplintering.The tensile
I have knownProfessor
Turner,to express strength
rises rapidlyas the fibrediameter
fortheworkhe has doneforthe is reduced.
appreciation
glass industryof this country.We are
The Chairmansaid : I thinkthatperhaps
greatlyindebtedto himforthe factthathe thediscussionwouldhave been more
active
has devotedhislifeto thiswork,and also for
had therebeenan opportunity
ofviewingthe
thefactthatwe haveat Sheffield
University
a department
devotedto the studyof glass samplesbeforehand.
I beg to proposea veryheartyvote of
ofwhichheis thehead,andwhich
technology
thanks
to Professor
Turner,and on behalfof
is unique.
the Societyto thankhim for cominghere
Professor
Turner'slectureis so farbeyond
and forall thetroublehe has takento
me technically
thatI cannottouchon that to-day
provide
samples.
eide of the subject,but it is obviousfrom
whathe has told us thatglass,as a material, ProfessorTurner said : I shouldliketo
is goingto be used considerably
morein the expressmy thanksto my colleague,Dr.
future
thanwe imagineat themoment. For Holland,and to othersin the glassindustry
of housesof who have assistedme to stage the exhibits
instance,in the pre-fabrication
thefutureit maytakea veryimportant
place displayed.
as a constructional
materialfromthe utility
pointof view.
As a designerforglassthereis one point ELEVENTH ORDINARY MEETING
of a Seriesof Ten Lectureson
whichI shouldliketo mention. The possi(Fourth
"
bilitiesof the productionof hollowblown
Agriculture
To-dayandTo-morrrow")
glass-ware
bymachineareratherfrightening.
Wednesday,February3rd, 1943
In manywaysI shouldliketheglassblower
to continueto exist,but nevertheless
the Mr. G. R. Paterson, CanadianGovernment
machinehas obviouslycome to stay- in
Animal ProductsTrade Commissioner,
Americait has been developedto a much
in theChair.
greaterextentthanit has here. Professor
The Chairman,in introducing
the LecTurner has told me that the firstglass:
to
said
We
are
here
gathered
turer,
to-day
in
and
built
was
invented
machine
blowing
thiscountry,
but it was leftto Americato listento one ofa seriesoflectureson agriculfrom ture. The subjecton whichhe is to speak
takeitup and developitintosomething
notonly
whichI haveseensamplesturnedoutwhich is one whichI believeis of interest
to
in
but also
those
the
United
Kingdom
Some
of
the
articles
incredible.
are simply
ofan artistic
apprecia- to those of us who come from Empire
producedwereworthy
and otherpartsof theworld.
tion. The machinehascometo stayandthis countries
willdevelopand the
methodofmanufacture
MAINTAINING THE PLOUGHED-UP
thisfactthebetter
soonerwe appreciate
AREA AFTER THE WAR
Turner'stalkto-day
I thinkthatProfessor
of glass,and
has madeclearthepossibilities
By G. H. Bates,
FarmInstitute
this
to thosewhohavenotbeforeappreciated
, Staffordshire
Principal
materialit has been quite a revelation.
in considering
It is impossible
thisproblem
Mr. L. S. Harley said : I shouldliketo to ignoretheeconomicaspectandto consider
ask ProfessorTurner whetherhe can say it entirelyfromthe technicalstandpoint.